


TARDIS Times

by FluffyGremlin



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-08
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:28:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyGremlin/pseuds/FluffyGremlin





	TARDIS Times

1.

“Barcelona.” The Doctor grinned as the TARDIS landed with a thump. “Sun and sand and fizzy drinks and…” He gaped opened mouth as Rose walked out of the clothes closet in bright pink swimming dress.

“Sun, sand, and fizzy drinks. I’ll take that,” Rose winked before sliding her sunglasses over her eyes and heading towards the tall doors that lead outside.

The Doctor moved to follow before one of the monitors caught his attention. His eyes went wide.

“Wait wait WAIT!” he shouted, turning and running to hold the doors shut just as Rose grabbed the handle.

“What?” she asked, stepping back and placing her hands on her hips in a way that reminded him, disturbingly, of her mother. “You promised me a break. You promised me Barcelona. Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona”

“And we _are_ on Barcelona…” The Doctor held up in hands in defense, “At the bottom of the Great Sea.”

2.

“This is _not_ Regency Era London.” The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and looked around the elaborately decorated room the ship had materialized in. “Much, much earlier… Victorian maybe… or Tudor…”

He walked into the room a few steps and turned in a slow circle, observing the elaborate stained windows and tapestries that dotted the walls. He was reaching for the sonic screwdriver that was a constant, comforting weight in his pocket when he heard a woman laughing nearby. Intrigued, he hummed to himself for a moment before straightening his bowtie and tiptoeing towards a heavy door that stood half open near the TARDIS.

He paused just outside the view of the other room, nervously twiddling his fingers as he listened to the girlish giggling give way to deeper growls.

“Could be werewolves…” he muttered to himself. Taking a deep breath he popped his head into the room before quickly straightening back up and rushing towards the still open TARDIS doors.

“Or it could be Henry the Eighth’s bedchamber.”

 

3.

“Jack…”

“Doctor?”

“Who else do you know that wanders the universe in an old police box?”

“I like the face.”

“Thank you. I’m rather fond of it myself.”

“It is a bit… chinny…”

“I like to think of it as strong and dignified.”

“Of course you do… And the bowtie?”

“Bowties are cool.”

“No, they aren’t.”

“Ianto Jones, I presume. Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all. I always water alien flora in naught but an apron whilst Jack is handcuffed to a chair.”

“Right… I’ll just… step outside, shall I?”

“That’s probably for the best.”

4.

“Vikings!” Amy bounced up and down and clapped her hands as she surveyed the scene before them.

“Oh you have to be kidding me...” Rory ducked his head back into the TARDIS. “Doctor! I think you mixed up a few numbers again.”

“Of course I didn’t!” The lanky man meandered towards the door and stepped out. Rory pointed at the wooden boats that dotted the shores of the rocky beach.

“Vikings,” Amy turned towards the men and grinned, “with long ships and big horned hats.”

“OK, so perhaps I missed a zero as this is _not_ the year 10,000.”

“And I assume this is also _not_ New New York.” Rory crossed his arms over his chests as he watched Amy watch the Vikings. Far too many men around for his liking. Wearing far too little.

“Nope.”

“It’s Newfoundland.”

“Yea… About that…” The Doctor scratched behind his ear as he refused to meet Rory’s eye.

“I think you owe the TARDIS an apology.” Rory crossed his arms over his chest in a stance he’d picked up from Amy over the years.

“What?! This isn’t my fault!”

“No, but you were a bit rough on her when you changed those couplings yesterday.”

“Big. Hammer.” Amy provided in a stage whisper.

“Fine. Fine!” The Doctor stomped back into the TARDIS, grumbling loudly the whole time.

Amy wandered back to where Rory was still standing staring at the Vikings with a cross look on his face. She slid her hand lightly along his arm until he looked at her.

“Do you think we could snag a hat before we go? I do love the horns…”

5.

The Doctor slowly picked himself off of the floor as the TARDIS gave one last shudder. The explosion had sent the ship railing through space and time completely out of control. He took a deep breath to fill newly formed lungs and moved on too long legs towards the console.

“Easy now,” he said gently, carefully turning a few dials. He could feel the TARDIS humming around and through him but all else was silence. He felt wholly alone for the first time since he’d peered into the Untempered Schism. He closed his eyes for a moment against the pain in his hearts before looking back at the display before him. The screen was cracked and the TARDIS appeared to be refusing to respond to anything he attempted.

“Fine then,” he grumbled, “I’ll just take a peek outside, yea?”

He slipped his sonic screwdriver into his pocket before heading towards the doors. Just as his hand touched the knob the TARDIS thrummed deeply, making him hesitate.

“Going to tell me where we are then?” he asked. The ship quieted. “Fine.”

He turned the handle and opened the door slowly, peering out into the night.

“Well it’s habitable at least,” he said to himself, stepping outside. He kept one hand on his ship, anxious at the thought of being parted with it. He squinted into the darkness and made out what appeared to be piles upon piles of detritus and debris.

“This is… noooo… it can’t be!” He took another step forward.

“Grandfather!” an enthusiastic young voice came from behind home, causing him to reel from dizziness as he spun around.

“I thought…” A young woman with short hair stepped out from beside one of the piles. “You’re not Grandfather.”

“S… Susan?” The Doctor whispered.

“Grandfather?” Susan walked forward and stopped an arm’s length away. She glanced at the TARDIS before turning back at him. “You’re so… young.”

“No, Susan. No, I’m not.” The Doctor shook his head sadly. “I am very, very old.”

“Oh…” Susan looked back at the TARDIS and reached out to touch it before stopping herself. “Oh!” she turned back to the Doctor quickly, “You shouldn’t be here then. You’re not supposed to cross your own timeline. You’ll get in trouble!”

The Doctor couldn’t decide whether to laugh at the absurdity or cry out in mourning.

“No worries about that,” he told her sadly.

“I should go.” Susan bit her lip for a moment before moving towards the Doctor and throwing her arms around him. He sighed into the hug and accepted it gladly. When she pulled back he smiled, his lips pulling oddly on his new face.

“Goodbye, Grandfather,” she said softly before turning and disappearing back into the junkyards.

“Goodbye.” The Doctor turned back towards the TARDIS and leaned his forehead against the door for a moment.

“Thank you, my oldest friend. Thank you.”


End file.
